


May I Have This Dance

by CommunionNimrod



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Newmann Zine, Pre-Canon, Pre-Movie: Pacific Rim (2013)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 02:53:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18908056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommunionNimrod/pseuds/CommunionNimrod
Summary: Sometimes the weight of what they're trying to do, what they're trying to accomplish, weighs too heavily on Hermann's shoulders. He was never meant to be a part of trying to save the world., never cut out for it. So it's a good thing Newt is there for when the times get rough.





	May I Have This Dance

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for the Newmann Zine! It was an amazing honor to be a part of this, and to be among all the other incredible writers and artists that contributed to it. Thanks to the organizers for taking such a huge task and putting together a beautiful final product. I'm so proud to be a part of it.

2024 was shaping up to be a rough year. When the attack alarms blare throughout the Shatterdome for the third time in less than two months, everyone can feel the exhaustion and stress of the situation bearing down on them. After the initial whirlwind of emergency as Striker Eureka is deployed to Auckland and everyone jumps into action, weary fear permeates through LOCCENT. Newt is his usual oddly excited self, one leg bouncing furiously as he watches the just-named Hound go up against Eureka, trying to catalogue the Kaiju in his mind (he’s long since given up doing a vocal commentary, as almost everyone else doesn’t seem to appreciate that very much).  

His attention is diverted, however, when Newt notices out of the corner of his eye that Hermann isn’t watching the screen or muttering under his breath like he normally does. Blinking, Newt pulls his eyes completely away from the fight to watch his colleague curiously. Hermann has a heavy, far off look on his face, staring at his trembling hands in his lap. Newt frowns briefly and reaches over, taking Hermann’s hand and squeezing it hard. Hermann lifts his gaze, eyes wide and glossy, but he says nothing. Newt smiles.

Newt’s scientific excitement aside, it truly is feeling like the end of the world today.

“Come on,” he beckons hours later, after the Kaiju has finally been killed. He stands up, tugging gently at Hermann’s hand (because  _ of course _ he wasn’t gonna let go of the man’s hand when he’s so clearly upset) until he stands up as well.

“Where are we going?” Hermann asks in a tired voice, standing and reaching for his cane.

“Up.” It’s all Newt says, but it’s all he needs to say. Hermann knows. Hermann always knows.

Up, of course, means the Shatterdome roof. At first it was sort of an Off Limits area, but within a few months of personnel being brought in, the higher ups realized that was a foolish thing to hope for and instead just made it more secure; they added railings, an actual functioning door to replace the hatch that had been built in originally, all that jazz. It was the most common smoking area in the ‘Dome, and the reason Newt and Hermann had started to come up here at first. Newt doesn’t smoke, he hates it really, but Hermann does. Or, he did, or … does sometimes? It’s a weird on and off thing. Newt can’t keep it straight, honestly. Regardless, it  **was** for smoking, but after a while it sort of became a place for them to come and decompress. Newt loves this place.

It was where he and Hermann had their first kiss.

They ascend to the roof in silence, Newt carefully tugging Hermann along every step of the way. The night is warm, but not unbearingly so, and he heaves out a content sigh as they step outside. Newt doesn’t let go of Hermann’s hand until they’ve crossed over to their favorite spot along the railing, where Newt hoists himself up to sit on it while Hermann remains standing, leaning beside of him.

“You’re un-quitting again?” he asks softly as he watches Hermann pull out a cigarette and light it. The mathematician doesn’t respond right away, not until after he’s taken a long first drag and exhaled the smoke up into the air.

“Temporarily,” Hermann says, only the second time he’s spoken since the alarms sounded earlier that day. His voice is trembling. “It feels warranted this evening.”

“Mmm, yeah okay, you get a pass,” Newt says, swaying his feet slightly and glancing up at the starless sky. Silence falls between them again, Hermann exhaling softly as he smokes, the sounds of the city off in the distance. Newt licks his lips before breaking the silence again.  “You wanna talk about it?”

“I really don’t,” Hermann sighs.

“You sure?”

“... No.”  

Hermann’s voice is still so soft, almost fragile. Newt can’t stand it. So, he inches across the bars and situates himself behind Hermann after some gentle nudging, and wraps his arms around his partner’s shoulders. He presses a kiss to the shaved section of his hair and hugs him close. Hermann will talk when he feels he needs do, Newt knows. Sure enough, a few moments later, he does.

“I failed,” Hermann says, his voice cracking. Newt is still. “I failed, and people died. Again.”

“You did your best.” Newt shrugs slightly. Hermann’s shoulders are trembling, and Newt hears him sniff. He’s crying.

“Tell that to Auckland. Tell that to the battle-weary pilots of Striker. My best wasn’t good enough.”

“Next time it will be, Herms.” Hermann snorts at the nickname but says nothing. Newt grins.  “Your predictive model gets better and better with each attack. No one could have predicted three attacks in such a short time span. It’s never happened like this before.”

“I should have been able to predict it, Newton,” Hermann insists, staring at the ground. He drops the cigarette butt and stomps it out. “That’s what I’m here to do.”

Newt can’t argue that. Still, though, Hermann is being too hard on himself. Newt hums and stares up at the sky again. There are stars up there, even though Hong Kong’s pollution likes people to think otherwise. He wants to take Hermann on a proper stargazing venture, but for now …

“Wanna map out the stars for me?” he asks softly. It’s one of their favorite things to do up here together. Hermann, the nerd that he is, knows the current star placements at any given time, even if they can’t be seen. It’s kind of awesome.

“Not tonight, liebling,” Hermann sighs. “I’m sorry.”

“Plan B then,” he announces, straightening and patting Hermann’s shoulder. Then, Newt is jumping off the railing, his boots hitting the metal with a soft thud. He takes a few steps out and turns, facing Hermann, and holds a hand out.

Hermann blinks at him, not moving at first. Newt’s smile widens and he wiggles his fingers in a classic  _ Come Here _ motion. Finally, with another sigh, Hermann retrieves his cane and closes the distance between them. Newt watches carefully, relieved to see that the man’s limp is minor tonight. Good. Hermann gives him a questioning look that Newt doesn’t respond to at first. Instead, he reaches out and takes Hermann’s hands, guiding one to rest against his waist and the other on his shoulder. He hooks Hermann’s cane on his elbow, where it dangles precariously but doesn’t fall.

“What are we-” Hermann starts to ask, but realization dawns on his face as Newt begins to carefully sway back and forth.

“Anyway, here’s Wonderwall,” Newt teases. Hermann snorts and rolls his eyes at the old joke, but he’s smiling, and damn it if that’s not a victory in Newt’s eyes.

Newt does, in fact, start softly humming Wonderwall though. Jokes aside, it  **IS** a good song. He presses close, keeping a careful eye and hold on Hermann just in case his leg starts to protest, and on the middle of the Shatterdome roof, they dance.

“Cause maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me …” Newt sings aloud when he gets to the chorus. His voice isn’t the best in the world, but it doesn’t suck either (and even if it DID, he wouldn’t care, and he doesn’t think Hermann would care either). Hermann’s grip on him tightens just a fraction, and the biologist gazes up to see that beautiful, open expression of love clear across his face. This is the side of Hermann that only Newt is lucky enough to see, and he’s selfish enough to hope that’s the case forever.

Hermann leans forward, pressing their foreheads together in a gentle touch. He sighs, closing his eyes, and there’s a small peaceful smile on his face. Newt gives his nose a quick kiss and hugs him even closer. He might be the shorter one between them, but in this moment Hermann seems so small, and Newt vows to protect him forever.

“Thank you,” Hermann whispers, a tear sliding down his cheek. Newt quickly brushes it away and continues swaying.

“Anytime, babe,” he whispers back, and he means it. Now and forever.


End file.
